Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-05-27
WANTS TO Be A WIDOW.
SHE NARRIES A CONSUMPTlVE
PRINTER, WHO REFUSES TO DIE.


blessed state of widOwhOod. The
young lady is Miss Lily F. Brown,
OF Oakland. On coming of age
last October she received a fortune
of $50, 900 from her fathers estate.
The possession of this money In
spired her with a desire to enjoy
life freed from the restraints i'm
posed upon young spinsters by
social cOnventiOnalitieS.
While living at the Brunswick
House, in Oakland, she pro-
posed to a friend, a widow,
also stopping there, that they take
a pleasure trip to the Yosemite to-
gether. The widow assented, sug-
gesting that If they could both
travel as widows their enjoyment
of the trip would be greatly en-
hanced. "a widow she slyly
inslnuated, "can 90 about with
freedom, fiirt and have lots of fun;
but a young girl has to be careful
Miss Brown was greatly taken by
the idea. Black would certainly
become her blonde beauty, she
knew, "If one could become a
widow without first being wife !"
she sighed.
Another friend, Captain Richard
Apgar, who lived with his wife at
the hotel, was taken into the ladies'
confidence. When apprised of the
ambition OF the young heiress, he
laughed and said:
"Why nothing could be easier.
There are hundreds of men dying
in San Francisco all the time. I'll
find YOU one" The would.be
widow hailed the Captains brilliant
idea with delight. He proved as
good as his word. Going to DR..
Anson A. Du Puy, friend of his,
he asked that physician if he knew
OF man not likely to live more
than a couple of weeks who would
be willing TO marry rich maiden
desirOus Of changing her state to
that Of a charming young widow.
al have Just the man," said DR..
Du Puy. "Frank Mckee, a young
printer, whom l am treating for
consumption, is almost dying. On
ly your young lady will have to
hurry the nuptials, for he may not
last two day" Next day the mar
riage was performed at the doc
tors Office by a justice of the
peace. After the ceremony the al
most unconscious groom was taken
back home aud put to bed.
Since then his bride has been
impatiently waiting for him to die.
She has even provided sums
amounting to $1,000 to defray the
expenses of his supposedly short
remaining span Of life and of a
first class funeral when he died.
DR.. Du Puy's interesting patient,
being provided with all the luxuries
and delicacies he craved out of the
money, has evinced strange and
persistent inclination to dIsappoint
all the expectations built upon the
strange marriage. So far from
dying be has grown stout and
strong, aud evidently has no in
tention of Immediately departing
this vale of tears.
Meeting his bride on the streets
a few weeks ago, he assured her of
his abiding love, and expressed a
desire that his happiness should be
crowned by their living together.
To this Mrs. Mckee returned an
indignant refusal. Though the
unreasOniEg man insisted on living
in violation OF the understanding
that be should die speedily, she
did not dare toresist his appeal for
funds. The secret of the marriage
WAS we'll kept all this time, though
a blackmailer had tried to bleed
the heiress by threats of making it
public. On appealing to counsel,
she found that she could do moth
ing to extricate herself from the
dilemma. While her husband
was living she was his wife, and,
although she could refuse to live
with him, she could not obtain a
divorce.
A reporter, calling on Mrs.
Mckee to-day, witnessed a strange
scene. There was soft knock on
the door, and the lady, rising to
open 1t, much to her surprise was
confronted by her husband. He
slid into a chair with a weary, re-
morseful look. His wife withdrew
to a few feet, aud, surveying the
intruder aDgrily, demanded, in icy
tones
"What do yon want here, sir 2
Before he could reply Mckee was
seized with a violent fit OF cough
ing. At this Mrs. McKee's face
Frightened. Hope shone in her
ewes. But the light died out az
Mckee regained his composure,
and it appeared that the spasms
we're merely the consequence of a
ouid of tobacco having lodged il
his throat,
81 just wanted to let you know
that / had nothing to do with put
ting it in the papers," he said, in
contrite tone. With an exclama